A Nephew's Tears
by Laser Lance 720
Summary: "I don't want you," little Draco stuttered through tears, "I want my mother."


Written for Return of the Daily Weird Prompt Thing ("It's okay, I'm here." / "I don't want you, I want my mother.")

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The sound of a crying toddler graced the air of the Tonk's home. It took Andromeda an extra second to recognize what she was hearing. Her daughter had long since grown out of the cries of toddlerhood, so she was no longer used to be woken up in the night to the sound of weeping. Yet she could hear it plain as day in the night hours.

"I got it," Ted muttered, already rising from their bed.

Andromeda reached out, grabbing his arm lightly. "It's alright. I got it."

"You sure?" Ted ran his thumb over her hand. "I'm already up."

"I've got it," Andromeda said. "He's my nephew. My responsibility."

"Andy." Ted took her hand, smiling at her. "We both agreed to take him in. He's not just your responsibility."

"I know that," she replied. "But you have work in the morning, so get some sleep. I'll call for you if I need you."

She threw the covers from her legs, and slide from the bed. Ted made to argue, but agreed and laid back down on the mattress. Pulling her bathrobe around her, Andromeda stepped quickly from the room and down the hall. The sound of a crying toddler was louder now and Andromeda didn't slow as she took to the stairs two at a time. Almost stumbling on the last step, Andromeda took the corner sharp and headed down to where the children's rooms were.

"Mummy." Dora stood in her doorway. The ten year old rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Andromeda could tell just how tired her daughter was as her normally vibrant colored hair was currently the natural brown she'd been born with.

"Go back to bed sweetheart," Andromeda said.

Nymphadora looked at her mother, then down the hall to where the noise was coming from. "Is Dray okay?"

"He'll be okay," Andromeda assured her. She tousled her daughter's hair. "Just go back to sleep alright."

"Okay," Dora muttered tiredly. "Night mummy."

"Night sweetheart," Andromeda waited until her daughter was back in bed before closing the door. One matter down, she continued through the hall to where her young nephew slept.

Opening the door slowly, she turned on the lights. The little boy's room was a light shade of blue, a few toys were shattered about on the floor; she'd have to remind him to clean up tomorrow. A dresser sat in the corner, in between the small bookshelf and open closet. Stepping into the room, Andromeda shut the closet door and turned to the child in the bed.

Little Draco was curled tight in the checkered blanket. His small hands gripped the pillow almost as if trying to bury himself into the softness. His face was scrunched up in tears, white blonde locks clinging to his face.

As Andromeda sat on the edge of the bed, she reached forward to push the bangs from the child's face. He shifted, sniffled, but didn't wake. The woman took a moment to run the side of her hand against his cheek, brushing the tears away. Draco's eyes fluttered, before falling shut once more. He continued to cry softly in his sleep.

Andromeda reached forward, drawing the boy into her chest. One of his hands grasped at her dress, the other still matted into the comforter. She held her nephew in her lap, rocking him. "It's alright."

"No," the three year old muttered.

"It's okay, I'm here." Andromeda whispered.

"I don't want you," little Draco stuttered through tears, "I want my mother."

Andromeda was taken aback for a moment as she looked at her young nephew. She didn't blame him. The toddler had been through so much these last few months, and he couldn't fault him for desiring his mother. Any child would want his mother, and while Draco seemed to be adjusting to life at the Tonk's, she knew that she would never fill the void his parent's untimely deaths had caused.

"I miss them," Draco cried.

"I know honey," Andromeda ran a hand through his hair. "I know, I miss them too."

Draco looked up at his aunt, grey eyes full to the brim with tears. His bottom lip quivered. Andromeda brushed back a stray lock of hair from the child's face. He looked so like his mother that it hurt. Andromeda bit her bottom lip to keep from crying herself as she remembered her recently deceased sister and brother in law.

"Are you okay?" Draco suddenly asked. He reached out a hand, placing it on his aunt's wet cheek. Andromeda realized she'd been crying slightly and hadn't noticed.

"I'm alright," Andromeda answered. She took his hand in her own, and gave it a light squeeze. "I love you Draco. You know that right."

"I love you too Aunt Andy," Draco nuzzled into her chest. Andromeda held him close, muttering comforting words into his hair as the child fell back into a peaceful sleep.

The family had known what they were signing up for when whenever they took the boy into their home. But as she laid the now sleeping child back onto the mattress, and pulled the blanket up over his shoulders, Andromeda knew that taking him in had been the right call. After all, she may not be his mother, Ted may not be his father, but as far as they were concerned Draco was just as much their child as Dora was.


End file.
